Bolt Neighborhood Blog

You are looking at some of my best friends. Steam-A-Seam, Wonder Tape and Stitch Witchery are tapes that stabilize, bond permanently or temporarily and are extremely helpful in the sewing room. Sometimes customers are confused about the difference between them and the best uses for each.

Let’s remedy that, shall we? From left to right:

1. Steam-A-Seam is a lightweight fusible tape that bonds permanently but does not become stiff. It allows fabric to retain it’s hand—even delicate fabrics. It is an indispensible tool for hemming knits as it creates stability and helps to prevent rippling and uneven stitches. Don’t use it for seaming though.

I have also used Steam-A-Seam for creating tiny little fabric patches when I’ve accidentaly snipped into a garment—an infrequent yet panic-inducing occurence.

2. Wonder Tape is my absolute favorite and most used tool of all. It’s perfect for holding things in place while you stitch them down and then it washes right out. I use it often in place of pins when installing zippers, positioning pockets and matching stripes, etc. It’s a good stabilizer for seaming knits, too.

3. Stitch Witchery is perfect for when you can’t or don’t want to sew something. Hemming curtains is a typical application for Stitch Witchery. Applying small details to toys—like eyes or mouth to a doll’s face—is another great way to use it.

If you’ve never used these products before you should definitely give them a try. Just ask us for help in selecting what’s best for your project.